


The Deceit of Demons

by Oronir_Caragai



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Angst, Castlevania AU, Grief, Like really loose Castlevania au, M/M, Monster(plant?)fucking, death related grieving, dub-con, non-con, seriously, vampire
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-06
Updated: 2020-08-18
Packaged: 2021-03-05 18:53:40
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 8,588
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25740142
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Oronir_Caragai/pseuds/Oronir_Caragai
Summary: A vampire’s castle has appeared near a village. One of the villagers, Gladio, volunteers to defeat the vampire lord to protect his village. His partner, the arcane scholar Ignis, refuses to let him go alone.
Relationships: Ardyn Izunia/Ignis Scientia, Ignis Scientia/Gladiolus Amicitia
Comments: 14
Kudos: 70





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hi, hello, very quietly back on my bullshit.

The crowd chattered in the middle of the town square. Bodies huddled closely together, whispering and murmuring, then finally hushing once the mayor of the town stepped on to the wooden stage; the cane he used for stability made a hollow thump as he walked. 

The structure had been used for everything. Hangings. Sales. Announcements. Shows. Anything worth owning, knowing, or seeing, happened on that wooden frame. 

“Silence, please!” Regis asked of the crowd. “I know you are all fearful of the vampire’s castle that has appeared!” 

“Something ate my goat!” One villager cried. 

“My son has been missing for three days!” Another cried. 

“And my daughter!” Another voice cried.

“Order, please!” Regis asked of them again, raising a hand to motion for them to settle. “I have heard your concerns and pleas! I am here to announce to you, that we will he sending someone to combat them!” 

“Who?” “Who would been fool enough?” “They’ll be dead before morning.” Whispers ran through the crowd again. Regis thumped his cane on the stage in a call for order again. 

“Clarus’s son, Gladiolus, who as you all know is one of our finest warriors, has volunteered to go.” 

The rest of the announcement was unheard by one man in the crowd, who immediately turned, and excused himself through the throngs of people. His own thoughts were too loud in his head. As he made it through the crowd, he broke into a full run back to his shop, which doubled as his home. 

Gladio couldn’t do this to him, he thought. Gladio -wouldn’t- do this to him. 

Ignis opened the door to his shop, and nearly collapsed from relief as he saw the broad man sitting behind the counter. 

“Gladio.” He said, in a gasp to catch his breath. 

“I knew you’d go to the announcement. I wasn’t gonna leave without seeing you.” 

Ignis closed the door behind him, and placed a wooden bar over it to lock it. He moved to Gladio, who stood to greet him, and stared up at his face. Emotion roiled in his stomach. Anger. Betrayal. Love. Before he could express any of them, Gladio wrapped a strong arm around his waist, and pulled him close. 

“You know I have to do this, Iggy. People are dying.” 

“-You- could die, Gladiolus.” He replied, his face naturally nuzzling into his neck. He rested his cheek against the fur collar of Gladio’s cloak, the place where he had comfortably napped so many times before. 

“I know.” 

“You would do that to your father, and Iris? You would bring that pain upon them? Upon me?” Ignis asked, trying to swallow down the emotion in his voice.

“I have to do this -for- them. You said that other places this castle has appeared, young women have gone missing, right?”

“Yes, that’s right.” 

“Then I’m not gonna let those monsters take my little sister.” 

Ignis pulled away to look over Gladio’s face. He raised his hand, and gently thumbed over his cheek. 

“You damned honorable fool...I love you, Gladiolus.” 

Gladio’s face softened, his dewy hazel eyes looking down on Ignis with such attention and adoration as if he may never see him again. 

“I love you too, Ignis. Do you think you could help me with supplies? I have my broadsword, but I could use-“ 

“Of course, of course. Potions, wards, I know.. come to the back with me.” 

While Ignis’s shop, to the public, was a source of potions, salves, antidotes, and herbs, his real focus was on research of the arcane. Of the vampiric, and demonic. He led Gladio to a shelving unit, which he pulled open to reveal a short passage to another room behind a closed door. 

Inside, books lined two tall shelves against the wall. Another two shelves contained glass vials and bottles, growing herbs and supplies. A desk sat to one side, littered with books and papers. Gladio followed dutifully behind Ignis, and shut the door behind him. He reached out to take Ignis by his wrist, and pull him back to him. 

“Please don’t be mad at me, Iggy.” 

“Of course I’m mad at you, Gladio.” Ignis replied, wrapping his free arm around Gladio’s waist. “You’re throwing yourself into the most dangerous situation of your life. That’s why I’m going with you.” He added, and raised up on his toes to press a soft kiss to Gladio’s lips. 

“You’re...what?” Gladio replied, slack jawed as Ignis moved away to begin gathering things. 

“I’m coming with you. I’ve already decided. No one else has as much knowledge of that godforsaken place as I do, slim as it may be.” 

“No-“ Gladio started, moving toward Ignis, but Ignis continued to gather things. He found a thigh pouch, and began to place supplies into it. 

“-I’m not taking no for an answer, Gladio, I’ll not have you run headlong into danger without me by your side.” 

Ignis gathered several vials, and sat them on the desk against a book so they wouldn’t roll. He turned back toward the shelf; Gladio placed himself between Ignis and it to force his attention. 

“Ignis. I can’t let you come with me.” 

“Nor can you stop me.” Ignis crossed his arms over his chest. Gladio sighed, and raised his hand to run through his thick hair, exasperated by Ignis’s hardheadedness.

“Ignis, I would never forgive myself if something happened to you. Please, I need to know you’re here and safe.” 

“Gladio.” Ignis’s voice suddenly took a deathly serious tone. “Every day I continue my research here is another day I risk being caught. You know what the punishment is for what I do.” He gestured at the supplies around him. Studies of the arcane, of the supernatural. The good townsfolk did not approve. 

“...I know. You’d be burned at the stake.”

“So by your side is safer, no?” 

“In the forest, sure, but not there! Not a vampire master’s castle, full of -who knows what.-“ 

“-I- know what.” He replied with a sigh. “Gladiolus. You need my knowledge.” 

“So there’s no chance of me talking you out of this?” 

“None at all. The potential for knowledge is too great, as well as my desire to keep you safe.” 

Gladio seemed to deflate, seeing he had lost the battle. He wrapped his arms around Ignis, and brought him close to him. He buried his nose into his hair, and inhaled, then exhaled slowly. 

“I love you, Ignis.” 

“I love you too, Gladiolus. But we have to hurry and pack. It will do us no good to lose daylight while we have to go through the forest.” 

“Alright, Iggy. Show me what we need.”


	2. Chapter 2

Their supplies gathered, their light bags packed, Gladio and Ignis began their trek through the forest. Alone in nature Gladio was free to keep his hand on the small of Ignis’s back while the scholar led the way. 

“Do you think creatures will wander this far out from the castle?” Gladio asked as his fingers felt over Ignis’s vest. 

“Not during the day. They come under cover of night typically, as far as my research has shown. Supposedly, a mob came out a few days ago, just after the first farmer announced that his stock had been attacked. They didn’t make it much farther than this before being beset upon by a large beast. The mayor forbade any vigilantism after that, especially at night.”

Ignis would have preferred to travel slower, to enjoy Gladio’s touches, but they had a goal to achieve. Get to the castle before being encroached upon by any number of demons and monsters; that meant haste was a requirement. 

“So, this vampire master.” 

“Yes?” 

“I have to stake him in the heart to defeat him?” 

“And behead him for good measure. Not necessarily in that order, if you think you can manage one before the other.” 

“Well, with an arcane scholar by my side, I’m hopeful.” 

“An arcane scholar who you tried to leave at home. You know I can only manage the basest things. Lighting a lantern, creating a chill breeze.” 

“Yeah, but you’re pretty handy with your daggers, too.” 

“For pretending to be a simple potion making botanist.” 

Gladio’s hand slid around Ignis’s midsection, and he pulled him close enough to press a kiss to his cheek. 

“It’s why I love you.” 

“Amongst other reasons, I should hope.”

“Other reasons, other reasons...” Gladio teased, keeping Ignis close while he teased him. “Hmmm. Beautiful eyes? Cute butt? Intelligent enough to kill.” 

“Or be killed, if we don’t watch our hides.” 

“Okay, okay.” Gladio let his hand slip down around Ignis’s waist again. “How long do you think it’ll take to get there?” 

“Two hours or so.” 

“Plenty of time for me to steal little kisses?” 

“And to listen to my warnings about every thing I can think of.” 

Ignis’s words went unheard as Gladio’s arm slipped away from him. He let him walk a few steps away so he could watch his rear in his tight trousers. The knee high boots he wore accentuated his long legs in a way that drove Gladio mad. Ignis stopped walking, and glanced back at Gladio. 

“Please, get all of your focusing on my rear out now, lest it put us in danger later.” 

“Psht-“ Gladio scoffed. “I was focused.” 

“Then what did I just warn you about?” 

“I...uhh...” 

Ignis sighed. He closed the gap between himself and Gladio, and pressed their lips together. He lingered for a long moment, until he felt Gladio melt into the kiss, and a little purr escape him. 

“I was warning you about demons made to beguile you with their looks.” 

“No demon can possibly be hotter than you, Iggy.” 

Ignis took a deep breath, and exhaled in a huff. 

“We’re doomed.” 

“I’m kidding! We’re not doomed, Iggy. Come on, succubi, incubi, I know all about them.” 

“And lesser known demons? Demons that will cry like trapped women, or exude the pheromones of a lover? What of the alraune? Demons, in massive flower bases, with the top halves of humans?” 

“What do they do?” Gladio asked as his arm resumed it’s position on Ignis’s hip, and he continued walking. 

“They eat men, Gladio. Men who are stupid enough to get too close, because they look like attractive, endangered people. Trust nothing in that castle, Gladiolus. Nothing.” 

“I’ll trust you, and that’s it.” 

“Good. Now, let me describe to you what I assume our welcome party will look like. Lesser demons, easily disposed by beheading...”

Ignis continued to describe to Gladio what they may encounter as they walked, all the way up to the front of the grand castle. The two men looked at the massive doors before them. No guards outside, save for the murder of crows lining the empty windows, and cawing down at them. 

“Should we knock?” 

“We have enough daylight left to get inside. Open the door, and quickly get to the side of it. While vampires have an aversion to daylight, I fear their guard will not.” Gladio nodded as Ignis explained. He moved to one side as Gladio shoved both grand doors open, and swiftly moved to the side. As he thought, a massive spiked iron ball flew through the open door way, and landed on the ground. It was dragged back by a chain attached to it, taking the ground with it in chunks. Ignis and Gladio both moved into the doorway to see what held the other end of the chain.

A massive suit of armor, ten feet tall stood before them, dragging the ball back to it. Gladio drew his broad sword from his back, and glanced to Ignis as he looked at the suit of armor. 

Ignis drew a dagger from his belt, and slung it with a practiced hand. It knocked the helm from the suit of armor, which clanged to the ground with a loud noise. It revealed nothing beneath. Gladio’s eyes went wide as he realized the suit was empty. 

“Uhhh, Iggy? How do I kill something with no head?!” 

“It’s possessed, Gladio. Look, the aura by the waist. There’s a ghost inside! Take off it’s arms so it can’t throw that ball at us again!” 

Ignis ran to one side of the armor, Gladio to the other. Gladio dropped his sword, and took one of the arms on the suit of armor. With a twist, and the assistance of his body weight, he rent the arm holding the spiked ball off of the suit and dropped it to the ground. 

“Good, now it’s my turn!” 

Ignis rifled through the pouch on his leg until he found a vial. He pulled the cork out, and splashed some of the contents into the open neck of the suit of armor. It crumpled to the ground in a heap. Ignis exhaled, and popped the cork back into the vial. Half remained, though he was careful to pack six of them in his pouch, and another four in Gladio’s. 

“Was that the holy water?” 

“Yes. I wasn’t certain it would work on spirits, but I’m glad it did. Though I can’t guarantee it was permanent. We need to keep moving.” 

Gladio nodded. Rather than place his broadsword back against his back, he scooped it from the floor, and held the broad side over his shoulder. 

“Where do you think the Master will be?” 

“The top level, no doubt. We should head upwards.” Ignis pointed toward the double doors at the end of the room. “This must be a vestibule. Come, we have to go deeper and find a way up.”

He led Gladio to the next set of doors, but something gave him pause as he reached for the handle. 

“What’s wrong, Iggy?” 

“Magic. I can feel it emanating from within.” 

Behind them, the suit of armor began to gather itself together again. 

“No time to worry about that now, Iggy. Go!” 

Ignis flung the double doors open, and took off running. Gladio was just behind him. They opened into a long, dim corridor; the only light was that of the setting sun. Lower and lower it crept as they ran through the corridor, and through the doors on the other side of it. 

As the door shut behind them, Gladio leaned against it, holding his blade in front of him. 

“Iggy...That was just the damned entrance.” 

Ignis looked to his surroundings. The room they entered seemed to be a grand hall. A double staircase of stone led to a modest throne flanked by two tall candelabras toward the end of the room. He looked to the stone walls, and his heart sank. The glass paned windows showed him what he had wished to avoid. Darkness had fallen. He glanced down to the red velvet carpet runner beneath his feet, and sighed. 

“And we’ve lost the sunlight’s aid, Gladio. We’re in the thick of it, now.” 

A candelabra to the side of the throne burst into flame, then the other. Ignis held his daggers close, and Gladio took up his sword. 

“Be careful, Gladio.” 

A bat, large and auburn in color flew down to the throne. It squeaked, and landed on the seat of it. 

“A bat?” Gladio asked. 

“A vampire bat.” Ignis replied with a sneer. “Be on your guard. 

Gladio took a step forward. With a puff of smoke, the bat turned into the form of a man. Gladio took another step forward away from Ignis, hoping to guard him from the vampire. A sigil began to glow beneath Gladio’s feet, partially obscured by the carpet. Ignis noticed it a moment too late. 

“Gladio, move!” 

He tried to shove him out of the way, but as his foot breached the outline of the glowing sigil, Gladio was gone. He kicked the carpet away to look down at the markings along the sigil. It no longer glowed, meaning Gladio had triggered the trap, and also deactivated it. 

“A teleportation sigil...where did you send him?!” His head snapped up as he accused the vampire. 

The auburn haired vampire master chuckled at Ignis’s question. He crossed his long, black trouser clad legs, and reclined in his throne.

“My my...a learned sheep, are you?”

“Where?!” 

The vampire waved a hand flippantly. 

“Elsewhere in the castle. Now, tell me, how ever did you learn of sigils?” 

“I am a researcher-“ Ignis began to explain. He kept his daggers tight in hand as he sidestepped the now deactivated sigil, and moved a step toward the vampire. “in the village near by.” 

“A researcher? No, my boy. I can smell you are something more.” The vampire stood, and Ignis raised his daggers in a defensive stance. He teleported, translucent images of him spinning to circumvent Ignis, until he appeared in corporeal form behind him. He inhaled the scent of Ignis’s hair. 

Ignis spun, raising his daggers, but something gave him pause. As he looked into the vampire’s eyes, he felt the blood thrum in his ears. 

“Yes...you are something more indeed. Put those daggers away, won’t you dear?” 

Ignis’s nose scrunched. A pained snort escaped him as his hands defied him, and lowered his daggers back to the sheaths on his sides. He could feel something trickle down his nose as he tried to defy the vampire’s order. 

“Ohh...” The vampire purred. “Do not fight it, there is no reason to...I’ll take good care of you...Ignis...” He leaned forward, caressing the side of Ignis’s head with his hand. He bowed his face close to Ignis’s, and lapped the blood up that spilled from his nostril. “Mmnh ...Delectable. Yes, you have potential indeed.” 

He pulled away to look into Ignis’s eyes. He could see the fear in the crystalline green. 

“Sleep for me, darling.” 

The vampire snapped his fingers, and Ignis crumpled back. He used his magic to levitate the young man, and bring him into his arms. 

As he teleported away, the sigil reactivated. Gladio appeared upon it. He twisted around, but found no trace of Ignis, or the vampire. 

“Ignis? Ignis!!”


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You know that non-con warning? Yeah. That’s for this chapter. Feel free to skip it if you need to.

When Ignis woke, he felt his knees planted on something cool and soft. It was a stark contrast to the throbbing in his head. He tried to pull his arms to him; the realization that they were bound, stretched as close to the bedposts as they could reach, startled him into alertness. He blinked hard as he tried to gather himself. He had been confronted by the vampire, and then...everything went dark. 

He looked down to see that his legs were similarly stretched, and more concerning still, he was completely nude. He had been placed on his knees, and ropes bound around them and to the bottoms of the bedposts to keep him in a kneeling position with his legs spread. He heard a noise from behind him, and tried to crane his neck to see what made it. 

The vampire lay on the bed behind him, seemingly waiting for him to wake. He rolled from the bed to walk in front of Ignis, and flashed him a smile so wide Ignis could see the points of his fangs. 

“Good evening.” 

Ignis twisted his shoulders, trying to tug at his wrists to find any weakness in his bindings. 

“Ah, ah. Save that energy. You’ll be needing it.” 

“It seems a waste to strip and bind your dinner, doesn’t it?” Ignis scowled at the vampire. 

“Oh, I don’t intend to eat you.” Ignis’s brow furrowed as he looked over the vampire, who he now saw had similarly stripped to a nude state. His stomach sank as he realized what he intended to do with him. Or so he thought. His eyes looked over his form. Tanned skin, a healthy sized cock under a tuft of auburn pubes. His eyes travelled up his body, until they met his. He felt his heart beat hard, and quickly looked away. “Please, take it in, Ignis. I intend for you to.” 

“How do you know my name?” 

“I can read your thoughts, darling. And I can tell you want me.” 

“I do not.” Ignis replied in a quick, indignant scoff. The vampire huffed. This human had more will than he expected. No matter, he thought. He would consider it part of his allure. 

“You will. Tell me, Ignis. Are you a virgin?” 

Ignis kept his eyes cast away. The vampire caught him by the chin, and yanked his face to look at him. 

“Ignis.” He chastised. “Are you a virgin?” 

“No.” Ignis gasped out, the answer forced out of him by the vampire’s control. 

“Good. I assume your partner was that large man who I saw you with.” 

“Gladio-“ he gasped out without thinking. “Is he alright?!” 

“He is alive, yes.” The vampire noted how Ignis’s pupils dilated at the mention of him. He looked deep into his eyes. “Ignis...do you want me?”

Ignis’s eyes locked with his, and he felt control start to be rent from him again. A shuddered breath escaped him. 

“No.” He managed to answer truthfully. The vampire’s eyes narrowed at him. 

“Ignis...look into my eyes.” Already in his grasp, Ignis was unable to look away. The vampire watched as his eyes grew wide, and cheeks flushed over. He thumbed over Ignis’s lower lip. “Good...Now, Ignis. Do you want me?” 

“Y-yes.” The answer choked out of him. He felt his eyelashes flutter, but he wasn’t controlling them. He couldn’t control anything. He felt as if he was removed from his own body, and looking in. 

“Splendid. Now, Ignis. My name is Ardyn. Please, scream it as much as you’d like.” 

The vampire moved to climb back onto the bed, and settle behind Ignis. Ignis felt tears bite at his eyes as he felt a slick item press inside of his rectum. 

“Ardyn...w-what is that...” 

“Something to help your progress.” 

Ignis felt the item open inside of him, and begin to widen his hole. While not painful, it created a pressure inside of him. It only remained in him for a few minutes before it was removed. Ignis felt a relieved breath escape him, but it was quickly replaced by a hitch in his throat as he felt the vampire’s erect cock press inside of his hole. 

“Ohh...I forgot how warm a human could be.” Ardyn purred out. He wrapped his arms around Ignis from behind, and rubbed gently over his skin as he pulled back, and thrust inside of him again. 

Ignis tried to focus on anything else, the sconces on the far wall, the glow against the stone, but he couldn’t. Not when all he could think of was his own future. Was Gladio. 

“Ignis...” Ardyn nuzzled against his hair as he pulled back, and thrust again. “I can feel you trying to fight my control. I want you to -enjoy- this. Melt in pleasure for me.” 

Ignis’s eyes closed at Ardyn’s command. He felt a tear slide down his cheek, but his lips parted in a moan. He felt the vampire’s hand circle around his cock, and give it a quick stroke. 

“There, isn’t that much better?” He asked of his captive as he continued to thrust into him. Ignis leaned his head back against Ardyn as his cock was coaxed to an erection. He tried to think of Gladio, the only other man whose touch he had enjoyed. But this wasn’t a man. This was a monster. 

“Are you going to keep me here as your toy?” Ignis asked Ardyn. He could hear the waver in his own voice. 

“Hmm. I have plans for you. But hush, now, Ignis. Hush, and give yourself to the pleasure.” 

Ardyn began to thrust harder into Ignis, forcing his cock forward into the tight circle created by his hand. He lowered his lips to Ignis’s neck, pressing hot, open mouthed kisses over his skin. He could feel the heat coming from the human. Confused, and fearful. He could hear the thrum of blood beneath his skin. It was intoxicating. Delicious. He sank his teeth into his skin, and came as the blood blossomed into his mouth.


	4. Chapter 4

Dazed from blood loss, Ignis felt as if within a dream as the vampire carried him. He must have lost consciousness at some point, as his surroundings had changed. He was no longer within the vampire’s bedroom. 

Plants now surrounded him, but no wildflowers were seen here. Massive plants, the size and genus of which Ignis had never seen lined the areas through which Ardyn carried him. 

“Ignis...” He heard Ardyn hum his name. “You’re awake.” 

“Where am I?” 

“My botanical gardens. All of my favorite species live here. I could smell the plants on you, Ignis. I know you work with them.” 

Ignis tried to raise himself up in Ardyn’s arms, but couldn’t quite manage. 

“You...brought me to see your flowers?” 

“Hm...I brought you to meet them, yes.” 

Ignis heard a giggle. As he lifted up, he noticed a large bud. The thick, fleshy green petals spread, and he noticed a woman smiling at him from between them. 

“My Gods, is that an alraune?” 

“Why yes it is. How smart you are, Ignis. There are all sorts of wonderful plants here. I hope your partner comes here to meet all of them.” 

“No-“ Ignis choked out. He clutched hard at Ardyn’s shirt before realizing that the vampire had stopped moving. 

“Shh, shh. Hush now, Ignis. You’ll need what energy you have left.” 

“What?” He asked, leaning forward against Ardyn. He turned his head, and saw a similar large bud, though this one was closed. Ardyn made a kissy noise, and two of the petals parted. 

“Hello my darling. I’ve brought you someone I’d like you to take the best care of, hmm?” 

He shifted Ignis in his arms, and stepped closer to the bud. 

“No- no!” Ignis panicked. As he was brought forward, he could see the slimy flesh inside. Small tendrils and tentacles were visible, undulating in apparent approval of Ignis. 

“Shh. You’ll be just fine, Ignis. I promise.” He guided the human’s legs into the bud, and Ignis felt thick tentacles immediately wrap around his legs to bind his calves together. 

“Ardyn, please!”

“Don’t beg, dear. It’s unbecoming. Rest.” He cooed at Ignis. “Rest...” 

Ignis watched the vampire vanish as the bud’s petals closed up, robbing him of his view of the room. Completely enclosed, all he could do was paw around the flesh of the bud. He felt two tentacles take his wrists, but they weren’t tight. They felt as if they were trying to get him to relax. They guided his hands up to keep them out of the way. 

He felt tiny tendrils begin to lap at his feet. The liquid they slathered over his soles created a tingling, numbing sensation that travelled up his calves. He tried to calm his panic, to keep his mind clear, but it started right up again when he felt another tentacle stroke down his spine, and press between his cheeks. 

“Oh, no no, oh Gods no-“ He stammered. A tentacle wrapped around his face, and pressed into his mouth to quiet him. He felt it spill a liquid into his mouth; he choked, and swallowed down. It made his skin feel warm. His body feel pliant. He felt a shiver of arousal down his spine.

The tentacles seemed to understand and be prepared for his reaction. They caressed over his body as if trying to soothe him, to welcome him. He felt the tentacle behind him press at his hole, and he closed his eyes. It forced in to him, but he felt no pain. It was slick, and made the warmth travel to the pit of his stomach as it wiggled around inside of him. He felt it pull back, then push forward again, fucking him gently as the tentacles continued to tease over his skin.

He tried to think of Gladio. He prayed his love was safe, that he fled the castle; Though he knew he didn’t. He knew he was likely still tearing around, searching for him. He felt tears bite at his eyes at the thought of Gladio meeting his demise because of his own capture. 

The tentacle continued it’s thrusting. Another wrapped around his shaft and began to stroke up it. The tentacles seemed to not have to seek out his erogenous zones, they already seemed to know them. He felt tentacles caress over his hips and ribs. Two teased over his nipples. The tentacle inside of him pressed against his prostate. The tentacles around his calves continued to climb to his thighs, as did the numb sensation. Soon, he could no longer feel his legs, just all of the pleasure being wrought from his body by the tentacles. 

He felt the tentacle inside of him grow wider. He felt his orgasm grow closer. And closer. As he came, he felt something shoot from the tentacle inside of him, as if it had also reached it’s climax. He felt his body relax, and grow weak. He thought only of Gladio as his world grew dark. 

~~~~~**~~~~~**~~~~~**~~~~~**~~~~~

Gladio tore through the castle, letting no monster stand in his way. 

“I need a fucking map for this place. Not that it would matter.” 

He growled to himself as he reached a pair of tall glass doors. He carefully pressed them open, and was immediately him with a sultry air. He grimaced at the difference from the chilled room behind him, but continued on. 

“Plants.” He grumbled as he walked into the room, and walked down an aisle. “Gods, I wish you were here, Iggy. This is really your domain.” 

He kept his eyes on the plants. He could swear he heard leaves shifting, things moving. Though he supposed he shouldn’t be surprised. 

“Iggy, where are you...?” 

His eyes focused upwards on the large plants. Dried leaves crunched beneath his boots. As he approached one of the large buds, he held his sword at the ready. 

He heard a crunch beneath his boot. Not the crunch of leaves. The crunch of glass. His stomach immediately sank as he moved his boot, and looked downward. A pair of ruined glasses lie on the floor. He looked back up at the bud before him, his mouth agape, and fright in his wide eyes.

“Oh Gods, Ignis?”


	5. Chapter 5

“Ignis?” Gladio repeated. He raised his hand tentatively to the bud of the flower. He could feel how thick the leaves were. They shifted beneath his hand, and he yanked it away. 

As they parted, he saw a peek of the form of a man. Nude, the moonlight glimmering off of his skin. The petals folded down to allow Gladio to see beneath them. 

A thin sheen of slime covered the lithe body inside of the bud, visible from the waist up. Vine tendrils ran down both of his arms, his skin tinted slightly green. The form folded forward, leaning face to face with Gladio, and opened his eyes. Greener than they were, but they still contained the man he loved. 

“Ignis, oh my Gods, Ignis, what has he done to you?” Gladio raised his free hand to tentatively touch Ignis’s cheek. 

“Mmh...?” His voice inflected slightly. His eyes searched over the human man for a long moment before he recognized him. “Gla...dio? Gladio, oh my sweet, is it really you?” He wrapped his arms tightly around him, and pressed a kiss to his cheek, then his lips. 

“Iggy-“ Gladio’s voice cracked with emotion. “Iggy, you need to tell me how I can cure you, baby.”

“You can’t.” Gladio heard the vampire’s voice to their side. He turned to see that he stood against a wall about fifteen feet away, and had been obscured by another large plant before speaking. He saw the sick smirk on his lips, and his hand tightened around the hilt of his blade. 

“What did you do to him?” Gladio growled, barely able to contain his rage.

“A bit of this, a bit of that.” He waved a hand flippantly. “Isn’t he gorgeous like this? I thought his pheromones would be of wonderful use in this form, such a delicious smelling morsel.” 

Ignis’s hands stayed on Gladio’s shoulders, though Gladio didn’t acknowledge them. 

“If I kill you, will he be free of this curse?” 

Ardyn hummed in thought. After a moment, he closed his eyes, and nodded slightly, his lips still quirked into a smirk. 

“Yes. I suppose so. Shall I take that as a challenge, little human?” 

“Gladio, don’t. Please, leave me here.” The pleading in Ignis’s voice, augmented by his new condition to tug at Gladio’s sympathy, only made him want to fight more. 

“You know I can’t do that, Iggy.” Gladio growled. It was hard to deny Ignis, but he had to. For him, and for their village. “I’m gonna save you. I’m gonna save everyone.” 

Ignis slipped his arms over Gladio’s shoulders to embrace him. He planned silently, and leaned to muzzle against Gladio’s head. 

“Close your eyes, and be ready. This is going to hurt. Please, trust me.” He whispered into his ear. Gladio heard the rustling of vines, and glanced down to see them running along the sides of Ignis’s arms, thicker than normal. The tips looked hardened and pointed, now closer to a spear than a vine. 

“Always.” Gladio muttered under his breath. He closed his eyes, but his hand remained ready on his sword. 

“Are you holding him still for me, Ignis? Such a good pet.” 

Ignis lifted himself up to look at Ardyn. As he pulled an arm away, he let the tip of his vine slice up Gladio’s face. The blood dripped freely over his cheek, and down onto his cloak. 

“An appetizer, Master.”

Ignis saw the glint in Ardyn’s eyes at the scent of fresh blood. Exactly what he hoped for. 

“He has no magic in him...” Ardyn sniffed hard; a little snarl on his lips bared one of his fangs. “But I shall enjoy draining him.” 

Ardyn hissed, and lunged at Gladio, but Ignis was ready. He raised his arms from Gladio, and forced all the energy he could behind them. The vines grew thicker and harder. He shot them toward the vampire. 

They pierced through one forearm, and the other shoulder. The force sent the unsuspecting vampire flying back into the wall, and Gladio was quick behind him. Sword in one hand, the other dropped to his thigh where he had the stake Ignis gave him. He had one shot to succeed. 

The vampire’s clawed hand was pulling at the vine in his shoulder as he realized the human’s planned strike. He yanked the vine out just as Gladio’s broadsword came flying up. The wall behind him, he had nowhere to go. Metal clashed with stone where it didn’t clash with flesh. Ignis felt the breath hitch in his throat. 

“How...” the vampire hissed. His hand fell away from his forearm, the vine still clutched inside of it, having been caught in the strike. Gladio watched a red line grow across the vampire’s throat. He didn’t hesitate, bringing his other hand up. He drove the stake into his chest. The vampire’s lips curled into a grin. “He shall be released...In death...” the word came out as a hiss as the vampire’s head leaned back against the wall, and Gladio could see that he managed to cleave through most of his neck in an angry diagonal maw. 

“What?! No!” Gladio growled, though the vampire didn’t speak again. His body turned to ash before him. 

“Gladio, you’ve done it!” Ignis cried happily. His words were quickly overshadowed by the shrieks of the other plants, followed by a sudden rumbling. The floor began to shake, as did the walls. Gladio ran back to Ignis and dropped his blade. 

“Come on, baby, we’ve got to get out of here. This whole castle sounds like it’s about to come down!” 

A stone fell from the ceiling, which Gladio barely managed to sidestep. Ignis looked up to the newly formed hole, then back down to Gladio. He shook his head. 

“Darling, I can’t. My legs...I can’t feel them anymore. I’m not sure if they’re stuck in here, or fused, but...I...” Ignis watched Gladio’s eyes fill with tears. He grazed over his cheek with a thumb. “Don’t cry, my love. I want you to survive.” 

“I’m not leaving you, Iggy.” Gladio’s voice cracked with emotion. He placed his hand on Ignis’s, keeping it held to his cheek. “I’ll die here with you before I do that.” 

Ignis wrapped his other arm around Gladio’s shoulders. He looked over him to see what the other plants were doing. Almost all of them had retreated into their buds, save for a few that had already been felled by falling stones. 

“I have an idea that may save us both. Climb into my flower bud.” 

“What?” Gladio asked. As he lifted his head, the tears crested over his cheeks. They trailed into his wound, though he barely felt the sting over the fear of having to abandon Ignis. 

“Don’t ask, hurry!” 

Ignis winced as he forced the petals to open wider to allow Gladio in. He held Gladio by his hand, and around his shoulders as the larger man climbed in with him. Ignis closed the petals as tight as he could. He wrapped his arms around Gladio, and Gladio reciprocated the embrace, holding Ignis in a fiercely protective grip.

“If this is how we die, Iggy...I’m glad we’re together.” 

Ignis felt hot tears sear down his cheeks. He didn’t want to die. He certainly didn’t want to be the cause of Gladio’s death, either. 

“We’re going to survive, Gladio. We have to.” He sniffled hard, and raised his head to look at Gladio. Despite there being no light inside of the bud, he could tell precisely where Gladio’s lips were. He pressed them together as the world crumbled outside. As he parted, he nosed Gladio. 

“I love you, Gladio.” 

“Don’t say that like it’s the last time, Iggy.” 

“I love you.” He repeated. He could feel stones hitting the outside of the flower bud. It was taking all of his strength to keep it held tight enough to keep them out. 

“I love you too, Iggy, but I can’t lose you. I won’t lose you.” Gladio held Ignis tighter. He tried to give him his strength. 

“I’m sorry.” Ignis’s voice cracked. “I love you with all I am, Gladiolus. Please forgive me.” 

Ignis removed his arms from Gladio, and placed his hands up against the top of the bud. The bud seemed to harden around them, but the strain made Ignis cry out in pain. 

“Iggy, please! Don’t do this!” 

“Tell Clarus and Iris I love them, Gladio. Goodbye.”


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote chapter 5, and went “I can’t leave this like this,” and immediately wrote the rest. With breaks. For crying. Enjoy!

The villagers stood in the square as they had the previous day, all brought together by the rumbling heard from the castle. The tremors travelled close enough to the village that they startled both the livestock, and the villagers. Clarus and Iris stood beside each other as they looked to the castle in the distance. 

Dawn came, then night. Then dawn again. That was when Gladio arrived, carrying what he had prayed he wouldn’t have to. 

Ignis’s limp form was wrapped in his cloak. He didn’t care to try to find his clothing. He only wanted to return him to his home. It was a hard journey, made longer by having to stop, weighed down by his grief. 

Word travelled quickly through the village, though Gladio didn’t care to hear any of it. He locked and barred the doors to Ignis’s store, and sequestered himself inside of his hidden room. He himself would care for him.

He removed all of the papers and sundries from a long table, and set Ignis on top of it. When the castle had finished rumbling, and the petals fell away, Ignis’s skin tone returned to it’s normal hue before taking a paler, sallowed tone. Gone were the vines that saved them. Even some of the fluids were wiped away by Gladio’s cloak. Left was the dirt and grime from the falling stone, caked in the sticky remnants of the plant fluid.

In the early afternoon, he began bathing Ignis with care. He only used water warmed over the hearth. Ignis deserved a nice, warm bath. He started from his feet, using a cloth to wipe away the remnants of plant fluids. It had seemed to moisturize his skin, Gladio noticed. The fluid had a similar affect on the wound Ignis inflicted on him. Though he was trapped in the bud for a short time, the wounded skin had healed to a soft scar under it’s unguent qualities. Once the sticky remnants were gone, he leaned to press a kiss to the tops of each of his feet. He then continued up his calves. He wiped with care, lifting each of his legs to clean beneath them. Once he had cleaned to his thighs, he exhaled. He wasn’t sure if he had breathed at all until that point. 

“I wouldn’t trust anyone else to do this for you, Iggy. I know you’d want me to do it, too.” 

He dipped the cloth into the warm water again, and looked to his genitals. He took a deep breath, and exhaled again. 

“Would you be mad at me if I put you in my favorite underwear? You know, those black ones that make your butt look even cuter?” 

He paused, hoping that Ignis would chastise him. He snorted then, in self-depreciation, when his hope was dashed yet again. He washed Ignis’s hips and genitals with the same delicate care he used in life. He dipped the cloth into the warm water again, and continued up to his upper body. Though most of the fluids and their remnants were gone there, he still wanted to bathe there. He deserved this care, he repeated to himself. He wiped over his chest, and lifted one of his arms to wipe under it. He smiled at Ignis. 

“You would have flinched by this point.” Gladio chuckled, as he wiped under his arm. “You would have never let me get this close, you’re so ticklish. That’s how I can tell you’re...” Gone. Gladio closed his eyes, and felt a tear slide down his cheek. He wiped it away with the back of his hand, and sniffled. “Okay, Iggy, I’m gonna need you to wake up and tell me what herbs to use to keep you nice and fresh. You were always the best at this. I’m probably gonna botch it and make you smell like a roast.” 

He sniffled again, and continued to wipe down Ignis’s arm, and over his hand. He took slow, delicate care with each of his fingers. He took another deep breath, and sighed. He raised Ignis’s hand to his lips, and pressed a kiss to his fingers. 

“I was gonna give you a ring.” He said softly. “I know we can’t get married, but I had a promise ring picked out for you. Was gonna surprise you with it once we got back.” He sniffled again, and pressed another lingering kiss to his fingers. “I hope you would have accepted it.” 

He set his hand down, and walked around the table to care for his other side. Once his arm was clean, he dipped the cloth in the water once again. He tipped Ignis’s chin up to clean the dirt and detritus away from his neck. 

The cloth fell from his hand and into the bucket once he did. He stared at the two unmistakable marks on Ignis’s neck. 

“He bit you. Oh my gods, Ignis. I failed you even worse than I could have imagined, and you asked for me to forgive you.” His voice wavered, and tapered off as his tears flowed freely. He leaned over Ignis, and sobbed into his chest. The tears slid over his skin, and Gladio cried until he was certain he had none left. He felt hollow. His love was gone, defiled by the beast he chose to confront. 

He raised himself up, took the bucket, and exited the room. He felt a miserable failure. He had saved the village, but at such a great cost, he felt as if he hadn’t done anything but cost Ignis his life. He emptied the dirty water and set more over the hearth to warm. He still had to choose Ignis’s clothes. He walked to the back of the shop, and up the steps to Ignis’s bedroom. He forced himself to keep going, to the chest of drawers that Ignis’s clothes were in. 

He rifled through the top drawer with care, seeking for the pair of underwear he wanted. His hand stopped, feeling a foreign, yet familiar object. He pulled it out, and held it in his hand. 

A simple golden band. A simple golden band that would have never fit Ignis’s finger. With a shaky hand, he slipped it over his own. It fit perfectly. He felt the strength leave his legs, and he sat on the floor. He looked up at the shuttered window. He could just barely see the sun outside, growing low in the sky. 

“Why did you leave me, Ignis? I...I can’t...” He lowered his eyes to the band around his finger. “I...” No words could describe the ache in his very soul. He lifted himself up, and selected clothes for Ignis. A shirt he liked, a vest he liked. His favorite trousers. His spare black boots. A pair of underwear. He carried the items back downstairs, and set them in the room before returning with more warm water to finish bathing Ignis. 

“I’m sorry this is taking so long, Iggy. I wanted to leave your face for last.” Gladio explained. He dipped the cloth into the warm water, and began to wipe Ignis’s face clean. “And I want to wash your hair, I know how you feel about it being clean.” 

He stood above Ignis’s head and looked down at him. He exhaled a heavy breath, and leaned to press a kiss to his lips. They were chilled beneath his own. He sniffled as he pulled away. 

“I found the ring. I was looking for underwear for you. I...I hope you don’t mind if I wear it. As a...a remembrance. I’m never going to have anyone to replace you, Iggy.” He moved to the shelves, and began to look them over before finding what he wanted. He poured some of the potion in Ignis’s hair, and began to massage through it. “I’m never gonna be able to go back to my old life, you know. I don’t want to fight anymore, Iggy. Not after this. Hey, maybe I can take over the shop for you.” He snorted, and smiled down at Ignis. “I mean, I was usually watching you more than what you were doing, but maybe you left me some recipes around here. Iris can help.” 

He lifted Ignis’s limp body, and pulled it til his head was leaning off the top of the table. He found an empty bucket to place under it, and poured water over Ignis’s hair to rinse it. 

“Sorry, I’m trying not to make a mess.” 

Once sufficiently rinsed, Gladio carefully shifted Ignis’s body to lie on the table again. He looked around for a towel. 

“Ugh. Be right back.” As Gladio walked out into the shop, he could see that night had fallen. He lit an oil lantern to leave on the shop counter to guide himself. He found a towel in the back of the shop, and returned to Ignis. He lifted his head with care, and gently tousled his hair with the towel. “There. One clean...” he paused, catching the glint of the ring. “...husband.” 

He lowered his lips to Ignis’s as his hand caressed his cheek. He kissed him, softly. For a split moment, he could have sworn he felt the lips beneath his twitch. Just his mind, he thought. There was no way. 

Until he felt Ignis’s hand settle into his hair. 

~~~~~ ** Epilogue - A week later** ~~~~~

“Gladio.” Iris rubbed over her brother’s arm. “Are you sure you won’t come to his funeral?” 

Gladio, though dressed in mourning clothes, never intended to attend. He shook his head, wrapping an arm around his sister to hug her. 

Ignis was considered a hero to the village. Gladio wove a tale of falsities, with bits of truth. Ignis had fallen in the castle. Without him, he wouldn’t have bested the master. 

A hero was given a drawn out memorial, for all to give thanks. Ignis’s body laid in a casket in the town square for the week prior to his final burial. Or so the villagers thought. With the flowers consistently covering it, and the alibi that Gladio had prepared his body with special herbs to preserve him, no one questioned it. 

“Nah. He...He would want me to take care of the shop. Besides. Nobody wants to see me cry.” 

Iris pulled away, and pouted up at her older brother, but nodded. 

“Okay. I’ll check on you in the morning. I love you Gladdy.” 

“I love you too, Iris. I’ll see you in the morning.” 

He walked Iris to the shop door, and shut it behind her. He was sure to bar it as well. He then went to the windows, and shuttered and locked each of them. Then, and only then, did he move to the bookshelf, and slip into the hidden room. 

“‘Would want you to take care of the shop’” Ignis scoffed from where he sat on the side of the table. He smirked at Gladio, baring a tiny, pointed fang. “What nonsense. If you didn’t attend my funeral, I would haunt you.” 

He held his hand out for Gladio, a golden ring around his finger. Gladio chuckled as he walked over to him, and embraced him. 

“I mean, technically, you’re kind of haunting me.” He teased as he nosed him. 

“Hmm, if I were a ghost, we could definitely not have done what we did last night.” Ignis nipped affectionately at Gladio’s lower lip. 

“Well...at least not as long as we did last night.” Gladio laughed as Ignis scoffed in mock offense. 

“Gladiolus Amicitia, if I find out you’ve been fornicating with ghosts I’ll-“

“You’ll do what?” Gladio asked, stealing a kiss before Ignis could finish his threat. 

“I‘ll keep you in my castle.” 

Ignis lifted his head with mock indignance as he threatened Gladio. Without a proper master, and with Ignis as the last vampire Ardyn had turned, the castle fell to him. Gladio had told the villagers that the castle was far too dangerous once the master had been defeated. It wasn’t a total lie, it had sustained serious structural damage, and not all of the creatures had perished. Some had fled without a master. Some chose to stay. 

Ignis flew back to the castle some nights, in his bat form. There, he was able to learn more than he ever had in life concerning the arcane. The surviving alraunes even took a liking to him, and taught him new botany skills. Gladio, in turn, used those skills to continue to run Ignis’s shop. 

To the day time, and to the village, Ignis had fallen in that castle. But to the night, and to Gladio, a new life for them had just begun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feel free to yell (preferably with, not at) @oronir_caragai on Twitter


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